14 : RHODA:

did so; then he lifted up his pretty head, gave another burst
of song, and flew away.

“Why,” exclaimed Rhoda, clapping his hands, “if he
hasn’t shown me the nicest doll!” And she ran up to the ear
of corn and broke it off, then went to the house as quickly
as she could. In a few minutes she had an apron carefully
wrapped around her new nursling, and was sitting contentedly
on the back porch, singing her dolly to sleep.

Her mother stopped on the way to the garden to say,
“What dolly have you to-day, Rhoda, old puss or one of the
kittens ?”

“T have a lovely new dolly,” said Rhoda, looking up with
a shining face. “Her name is Corn Silk. See, mother, what
beautiful brown hair she has; real hair.” And Rhoda passed a
caressing hand over the flowing tresses which hung down her
dolly’s back.

“ Where did you get her?” asked Rhoda’s mother, laughing.

“She grew for me,” replied Rhoda, “and there are plenty
~ more like her. She looks very nice when you cover her up
well, but she hasn’t any feet; mother, don’t you tell that, for
I want to forget it myself.”

Her mother promised not to tell, and went on.

Rhoda rocked little Corn Silk to sleep, and then put her

in a little bed made of a box-full of leaves. She covered her
over with a handkerchief, and the long hair was carefully
spread outside the quilt, so as to show to the best advantage.